Title: Jane Eyre Author: Charlotte Bronte Date of Publication: 1847 Literary Period: Victorian Genre: Bildungsroman Describe the setting and then explain the relevance of the setting.
The setting is Victorian England, which is important because the novel highlights the class structure and gender relations of the time period. The wealth present in most of the setting is also a heavy contrast to the poverty that Jane experiences in most of the story. It even adds to the criticism of colonialism as it shows the rich getting richer at the cost of the poor.The setting also constantly changes as Jane goes from house to house, and each one develops her character.
Themes (These statements should be complete sentences and completely developed ideas)
Jane is taught as a child that poverty and immorality are one and the same, yet as she matures, she realizes that rather than class defining a person’s character, the person’s intellect and kindness defines them.
Bronte shows in Jane Eyre that individuals who devote themselves to religion and higher power have the ability to find spiritual contentment which is just as important as physical
Bronte reveals that gender relationships are weighted unfairly in advantage of the male, which leads to problems in the novel.
Plot Summary (Please do not copy and paste. Simply list the high points of the novel) - Consider creating a visual flow chart or graph and posting it here. (Beginning, Middle, End)Gateshead - John beats Jane for reading his book, she is locked in the red room, doctor arranges for her to be sent to school to escapeLowood - Brocklehurst is a hypocrite who mistreats the students and Helen is an inspiration for Jane's moral standings even in the society of immoral people. Helen is compared to Christ for an archetype.Thornfield - criticism of Victorian gender roles and colonialism due to Rochester taking a bride from a colony. Jane also has repressed sexual desires which are in a way symbolized by Bertha being locked in atticGateshead - Mrs. Reed and cousins have not improved over time. Eliza is extraordinarily structured, Georgiana simply wants to find a husband. Mrs. Reed shows that she still dislikes Jane and hid a letter from her.Moores - Jane wanders away into swamp because she does not want to be a kept woman
Moor House - St. John Rivers and his sisters shelter Jane "Elliott" until Jane finds out that she is the heir to her uncle's fortune. She decides to share the inheritance with the Rivers when she finds out that they are cousins. St. John wants to marry Jane and go on a long-term missionary trip to India. Jane flees back to Thornfield after she hears Rochester's voice while St. John is relentlessly asking for her hand in marriage (she would agree to the missionary trip otherwise).Ferndean Manor - Jane and Rochester are reunited, finally marrying each other, because Bertha has committed suicide. Mr. Rochester admits that he feels guilty about trying to make Jane his mistress. They are also on more equal footing, as Rochester has been disfigured and Jane has a fortune of her own. Memorable Quotes and their SIGNIFICANCE.
My future husband was becoming to me my whole world; and more than the world: almost my hope of heaven. He stood between me and every thought of religion, as an eclipse intervenes between man and the broad sun - Jane admits that her feelings of Rochester were causing her to overlook her morals.
God is a friend to the poor orphan child - Bessie comforts Jane, implying that although her situation looks grim at Gateshead, she can still have a comfortable future.
A 'Gytrash' which, in the form of a horse, mule, or large dog, haunted solitary ways, and sometimes came upon bleated travelers, as this horse was coming upon me now - The mysterious and dark creature helps Bronte set the Gothic tone of the novel.Reader, I married him - Jane is taking control of the relationship, which defied social norms of the Victorian era.Poverty looks grim to grown people; still more so to children: they have not much idea of industrious, working, respectable poverty; they think of the world only as connected with ragged clothes, scanty food, fireless grates, rude manners, and debasing vices: poverty for me was synonymous with degradation - Bronte introduces the idea that although class mobility does not exist in the Victorian era, the poor can still live morally successful lives.I am no bird; and no net ensnares me - Jane asserts her independence and refuses to let others control her life decisions and where/how she lives. Mr. Rochester proposes in his hard-to-getness that he could send her to a job in Ireland, but she asserts that she would not want to live in Ireland even if she loses her job at Thornfield.
Describe the significance of the opening scene.
Jane travels by reading, which suggests that she is a questing hero. The foggy, rainy, and cold weather that is just outside the window reflects her mood. She feels isolated, which is shown by what she reads, which often involves scenes of isolation. She feels alone despite being surrounded by family. She feels imprisoned by "Bars of clouds." Jane is surrounded by red curtains and is isolated by a position that is protected, which suggests that the image is that of a womb. She grows as she observes from the "womb."
Describe the significance of the closing scene.
"Reader, I married him" shows that Jane is taking control of her own life as she is the one doing the marrying although the man was expected to do the marrying in the Victorian era. The book ends with St. John and spiritual decisions. He sacrifices his happiness on Earth for happiness in heaven by doing what is morally right in his eyes and not what is logically right for him to enjoy his time before death. Bronte is showing that although she respects this ideal greatly, it is not achievable by all, as Jane found happiness on Earth.
Describe the author's style and provide examples from the text.Bronte directly addresses the "Reader" while maintaining the narrative because the governess is telling the story. She also writes with dark, Gothic elements of the Victorian era to show mystery. The landscape reflects emotion throughout the novel, and setting is important to her style.
List importance characters and their significance.
Jane Eyre - Word Origin:Middle English: from Old French eire, from Latin iter ‘journey.’ (OED)
Also consider word play here. How does the word play emphasize the class message of the novel? Jane becomes an heir to her uncle's fortune. She is plain and unlike all of the other Victorian women, which labels her as the questing hero.
Miss Temple - she offers refuge from the crimes of Brocklehurst, and she also helps Helen, which continues to allude to her name. Temple offers sanctuary and also houses the sick Helen, who is a religious role model for Jane.
Helen Burns - a Christ figure to Jane, Helen teaches the words of Jesus Christ to the young Jane Eyre and her death shows the importance of spiritual fulfillment.
St. John - Jane's cousin, but he wants to be more, and wants Jane to come to India with him as a missionary wife. He is in love with Rosamond Oliver, but he chooses Jane because he thinks she fits being a missionary's wife better. He epitomizes religious devotion in the novel and is painted as a spiritual paragon, an alternative to the happiness that Jane gets from marrying Rochester.
Mr. Rochester - a wealthy man who falls in love with Jane while she is an employee and tries to make her his mistress although he is still married to Bertha Mason.
Bertha - as the lunatic in the attic, she is imprisoned because Rochester does not want anyone to know that she is his wife. She is symbolic of the repression of Victorian women.
Mrs. Reed - cruel to Jane, she creates Jane's hatred for unfairness, but she also acts as a test for Jane, because her niece is given the opportunity to practice what Helen preached when she is forgiven by Jane.
Mr. Brocklehurst - acting as an example of the cruel upper class, he uses the plight of the orphans he cares for as a means of attaining social status and wealth. He uses religion to control them, and implements restrictions for them that Victorian society would approve of.
Grace Poole - a red herring, she is blamed by Jane for crazy laughing and arson, but she is covering up for Bertha. Her carelessness lets Bertha attack Thornfield residents.
Bessie - the only figure in Jane's childhood that treats her kindly. She exemplifies the "respectable poverty," showing that happiness can be attained for moral and kind people even if they are in the wrong class.
List important symbols from the work and their significance Birds - Jane yearns for freedom, and wants to be free like the birds that she reads about. Fire - Bertha first burns Rochester's room and then burns the whole house down with her in it. Fire is symbolic of strong emotion that is hidden and bottled up.Ice - The ice in the novel is most frequently part of the weather, and helps show Jane's mood.Windows - Windows in the novel show self-reflection, because Jane discovers herself as she views the world outside, which once again relates to weather.Red Colors - Jane finds red everywhere in the room that she is locked in, and the red likens her surroundings to a uterus, as she finds a sort of rebirth in the Red Room. She begins her journey of independence in the Red Room.
Title: Jane Eyre
Author: Charlotte Bronte
Date of Publication: 1847
Literary Period: Victorian
Genre: Bildungsroman
Describe the setting and then explain the relevance of the setting.
The setting is Victorian England, which is important because the novel highlights the class structure and gender relations of the time period. The wealth present in most of the setting is also a heavy contrast to the poverty that Jane experiences in most of the story. It even adds to the criticism of colonialism as it shows the rich getting richer at the cost of the poor.The setting also constantly changes as Jane goes from house to house, and each one develops her character.
Themes (These statements should be complete sentences and completely developed ideas)
Jane is taught as a child that poverty and immorality are one and the same, yet as she matures, she realizes that rather than class defining a person’s character, the person’s intellect and kindness defines them.
Bronte shows in Jane Eyre that individuals who devote themselves to religion and higher power have the ability to find spiritual contentment which is just as important as physical
Bronte reveals that gender relationships are weighted unfairly in advantage of the male, which leads to problems in the novel.
Plot Summary (Please do not copy and paste. Simply list the high points of the novel) - Consider creating a visual flow chart or graph and posting it here. (Beginning, Middle, End)Gateshead - John beats Jane for reading his book, she is locked in the red room, doctor arranges for her to be sent to school to escapeLowood - Brocklehurst is a hypocrite who mistreats the students and Helen is an inspiration for Jane's moral standings even in the society of immoral people. Helen is compared to Christ for an archetype.Thornfield - criticism of Victorian gender roles and colonialism due to Rochester taking a bride from a colony. Jane also has repressed sexual desires which are in a way symbolized by Bertha being locked in atticGateshead - Mrs. Reed and cousins have not improved over time. Eliza is extraordinarily structured, Georgiana simply wants to find a husband. Mrs. Reed shows that she still dislikes Jane and hid a letter from her.Moores - Jane wanders away into swamp because she does not want to be a kept woman
Moor House - St. John Rivers and his sisters shelter Jane "Elliott" until Jane finds out that she is the heir to her uncle's fortune. She decides to share the inheritance with the Rivers when she finds out that they are cousins. St. John wants to marry Jane and go on a long-term missionary trip to India. Jane flees back to Thornfield after she hears Rochester's voice while St. John is relentlessly asking for her hand in marriage (she would agree to the missionary trip otherwise).Ferndean Manor - Jane and Rochester are reunited, finally marrying each other, because Bertha has committed suicide. Mr. Rochester admits that he feels guilty about trying to make Jane his mistress. They are also on more equal footing, as Rochester has been disfigured and Jane has a fortune of her own.
Memorable Quotes and their SIGNIFICANCE.
My future husband was becoming to me my whole world; and more than the world: almost my hope of heaven. He stood between me and every thought of religion, as an eclipse intervenes between man and the broad sun - Jane admits that her feelings of Rochester were causing her to overlook her morals.
God is a friend to the poor orphan child - Bessie comforts Jane, implying that although her situation looks grim at Gateshead, she can still have a comfortable future.
A 'Gytrash' which, in the form of a horse, mule, or large dog, haunted solitary ways, and sometimes came upon bleated travelers, as this horse was coming upon me now - The mysterious and dark creature helps Bronte set the Gothic tone of the novel.Reader, I married him - Jane is taking control of the relationship, which defied social norms of the Victorian era.Poverty looks grim to grown people; still more so to children: they have not much idea of industrious, working, respectable poverty; they think of the world only as connected with ragged clothes, scanty food, fireless grates, rude manners, and debasing vices: poverty for me was synonymous with degradation - Bronte introduces the idea that although class mobility does not exist in the Victorian era, the poor can still live morally successful lives.I am no bird; and no net ensnares me - Jane asserts her independence and refuses to let others control her life decisions and where/how she lives. Mr. Rochester proposes in his hard-to-getness that he could send her to a job in Ireland, but she asserts that she would not want to live in Ireland even if she loses her job at Thornfield.
Describe the significance of the opening scene.
Jane travels by reading, which suggests that she is a questing hero. The foggy, rainy, and cold weather that is just outside the window reflects her mood. She feels isolated, which is shown by what she reads, which often involves scenes of isolation. She feels alone despite being surrounded by family. She feels imprisoned by "Bars of clouds." Jane is surrounded by red curtains and is isolated by a position that is protected, which suggests that the image is that of a womb. She grows as she observes from the "womb."
Describe the significance of the closing scene.
"Reader, I married him" shows that Jane is taking control of her own life as she is the one doing the marrying although the man was expected to do the marrying in the Victorian era. The book ends with St. John and spiritual decisions. He sacrifices his happiness on Earth for happiness in heaven by doing what is morally right in his eyes and not what is logically right for him to enjoy his time before death. Bronte is showing that although she respects this ideal greatly, it is not achievable by all, as Jane found happiness on Earth.
Describe the author's style and provide examples from the text.Bronte directly addresses the "Reader" while maintaining the narrative because the governess is telling the story. She also writes with dark, Gothic elements of the Victorian era to show mystery. The landscape reflects emotion throughout the novel, and setting is important to her style.
List importance characters and their significance.
- Jane Eyre - Word Origin:Middle English: from Old French eire, from Latin iter ‘journey.’ (OED)
Also consider word play here. How does the word play emphasize the class message of the novel? Jane becomes an heir to her uncle's fortune. She is plain and unlike all of the other Victorian women, which labels her as the questing hero.List important symbols from the work and their significance
Birds - Jane yearns for freedom, and wants to be free like the birds that she reads about. Fire - Bertha first burns Rochester's room and then burns the whole house down with her in it. Fire is symbolic of strong emotion that is hidden and bottled up.Ice - The ice in the novel is most frequently part of the weather, and helps show Jane's mood.Windows - Windows in the novel show self-reflection, because Jane discovers herself as she views the world outside, which once again relates to weather.Red Colors - Jane finds red everywhere in the room that she is locked in, and the red likens her surroundings to a uterus, as she finds a sort of rebirth in the Red Room. She begins her journey of independence in the Red Room.